Obesity: Mindless eating
April 22nd, 2010 by admin
Imitation and expectation help explain the obesity epidemic, revealing that small changes in our behavior can set off a rippling effect in which our healthy habits can influence people closest to us, and even people we’ve never met.
Posted in Steve
April 22nd, 2010 at 10:39 am
Thanks for posting this Steve. A few years back I read a report issued by Christakis and Fowler which suggested weight gain by a friend increases your odds of obesity by 57% simply because it becomes acceptable.
Social issues like these are not typically seen in youth-facing online properties, which is why initiatives like yours with ZyOzy (and mine with KooDooZ) have to become mainstream.
I see a need to couple “fun” with change. Which is why the Tour De Fitness which we run with our partner, O2MAX needs to be replicated for youth everywhere.
It’s scary that we’re looking at the first generation in history that will not outlive their parents unless they get involved.
Thanks for your post.
April 22nd, 2010 at 2:32 pm
I am happy to know that we are becoming more conscious of how our eating behaviors are affected by those around us. Perhaps we can also become conscious of why we eat. So many of us substitute food for love, comfort, companionship, connection or fulfillment. The simple fact is we need to eat to give our bodies nutrition so that they can carry on making blood, repairing cell damage, growing hair, etc. If we teach our children this simple truth, and model good behavior toward that end, we will have taken a major step toward reducing obesity. We need nutritious, recognizable foods- from the standard four food groups- prepared simply and served in sane amounts for the sole purpose of giving the body what it needs. If it tastes good, that’s a bonus, and can be one of life’s great pleasures. The prevailing notion that we eat for pleasure only is dangerous and we’re seeing the results of that today. Education, education. education, about food, about exercise. Getting back to basics. Let’s make that the prevailing consciousness.
May 4th, 2010 at 7:08 am
[...] Obesity is contagious? [...]